For the history of mankind, people have experienced heartbreak. Poets, playwrights, authors and composers alike have all been inspired by heartache and lost love. Although we are no stranger to breakups, breakups in the 21st century are completely new territory. What has changed? The invention of social media. I'm not even going through a breakup of my own, right now, but I am still hyper aware of everyone else's break up drama.
Celebrity couples are, obviously, the easiest example because the publicity of their breakups is amplified to a much larger scale than us everyday folks. I've noticed two ways that celebrities and non-celebrities, alike, have handled breakups recently on social media.
Public breakup
Some couples, like Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris, are open about their breakup. Obviously, drama is inevitable with Taylor Swift (no offense to Taylor, I love you), but it's quite common for normal people as well. People who publicize their breakup often publicize their rebound (ahem, Tom Hiddleston). All photo evidence of the relationship is deleted from social media as well. Some people choose this method of breakup because it is quick, but definitely not painless. That's where the random hot girls or guys featured in Instagram posts come in (ahem, Tom Hiddleston).
Although posting a pic with your hot new bae might pump your ego, make you feel like you've "won" the breakup, and work as a band-aid for your broken heart, it usually only creates more drama and speculation. If you post a picture with your rebound too soon, people often assume that you cheated on your old significant other with this newcomer. It doesn't matter if you actually did or not, people will try to link your new arm candy with your breakup. It's usually not the best way to spare your ex's feelings either. This is probably why Calvin Harris unfollowed Taylor Swift and their drama has skyrocketed.
Private breakup
Other couples keep their break ups on the down low. For example, I'm not even sure if this couple has actually broken up or not because they've been so conservative on social media. Alexis Ren and Jay Alvarrez, models and Insta-famous world travelers, may or may not have broken up. The couple used to regularly post pictures with each other, but in the past two months, the couple pictures have stopped.
Nothing has been confirmed as to whether or not they've broken up, as neither Alexis or Jay have addressed the rumors. Alexis did post a throwback picture with Jay for his birthday with a very couple-y caption, but she recently deleted the caption, allowing speculation to escalate. Unlike the public breakup, the photo evidence of the relationship remain on the user's accounts, but no new pictures surface. While staying hush hush during a break up might seem like a good idea, rumors are bound to arise, which could ultimately make the breakup more painful. Let's face it, if the relationship was public, there's no way the breakup can be private.
Which way is best?
I suppose there's no truly painless or drama-free way to handle a breakup in the 21st century. It seems like everyone knows everyone else's business and there is no real way around it unless you never post anything about your personal life on social media ever. This may seem like a good idea, but there are problems that arise with this as well if it's not a mutual decision made by both people in the relationship. With Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, breakups are proving to be harder and harder than our parents ever imagined. Both public and private breakups suck because breakups suck no matter what.
